Digital Book 'The Lost Authentic Handwriting of the Sage of Calligraphy' Production Notes (7)

Chapter 7: A Competition of Poetry and Calligraphy at Court (Creative Writing)
I. Morning at the Palace
Early autumn in the Kōnin era.
The twilight of dawn still lingered on the palace roof tiles, and the morning sun, tinged with pale gold, shone gently into the hall of the Tōgū Palace. The standing curtains (kichō) were covered in fresh silk, and the scent of sandalwood dissolved into the air. In the garden pond, lotus flowers bloomed white, and golden carp flickered their tails near the water's surface.
On this day, a special event at court, the 'Chinese Poetry and Waka Gathering,' was to be held. It was a venue for Kūkai and Tachibana no Hayanari to wield their brushes before Emperor Saga. As a religious figure, Kūkai was extremely busy with ascetic practices and missionary work, so he did not participate in secular social gatherings.

However, there was a reason Kūkai decided to participate this time. Emperor Saga claimed he would show them the 'Twenty Volumes of Wang Xizhi's Calligraphy,' a treasure of the Shōsō-in. Yes, Emperor Saga had secretly taken the authentic works of Wang Xizhi out of the Shōsō-in beforehand, practiced repeatedly, and held the 'Chinese Poetry and Waka Gathering' to see if his own calligraphy skills could surpass those of Kūkai and Tachibana no Hayanari, the master calligraphers who had studied in Tang China as envoys.

The Major Counselors, scholars, and court ladies had been preparing their attire since early morning, and colorful hunting robes (kariginu) and Tang-style robes (karaginu) adorned the hall.

II. The Gathering People
The first to appear was Tachibana no Hayanari. His physique, honed by his studies in Tang China, was toned, and every time the hem of his robe brushed the floor, a faint sound of rustling fabric echoed. He carried a slender brush case at his waist and an inkstone wrapped in a sturdy leather bag in his hand.
Following him, Kūkai entered, dressed in purple-navy monk's robes. His prayer beads swayed quietly at his chest, and with every step, the low sound of rustling fabric dissolved into the hall.
Before long, Emperor Saga appeared from behind the standing curtains. He wore an unbleached plain robe (nōshi) with a belt woven with Tang-flower patterns in gold thread. A soft smile played on his mature face, and though his gait was slow, the air in the hall became even more tense.

III. The Opening of the Competition
In the center of the hall were three standing desks. On them were white hemp paper, polished inkstones, and thickly kneaded pine soot ink. Behind them, scribes stood by, preparing recording paper.
Emperor Saga spoke.
'Today, let the brushwork of the Three Brushes, the treasures of my court, be etched into the eyes of all gathered here.'
At the signal, the three simultaneously took up their brushes. The scent of ink drifted heavily, and the hall fell silent in an instant.

IV. Hayanari's Brush
Hayanari's brush was powerful from the very first stroke, possessing both sharpness and breath. The brushwork honed in Tang China was like a running sword, yet it left a lingering resonance like the strings of a koto.
'This is truly the brush of a Tang man...' a nobleman whispered.
His brush lines danced on the paper like a living thing, and as he finished the final stroke with a flowing motion, the air around him loosened slightly.

V. Kūkai's Brush
Kūkai held his brush with the serene demeanor of a monk, letting it soak up plenty of ink. The first stroke was heavy and stable, as if stepping on the earth, and his semi-cursive script was soft yet never lost its inner strength.
His brushwork was like the breath used to chant sutras, and the density of the ink responded to his breathing. One of the court ladies involuntarily pressed her hands together in prayer and whispered, 'The brush of a Buddha...'

VI. Emperor Saga's Brush
The Emperor quietly gripped his brush, steadied his breath deeply, and placed the first stroke. It was a neat regular script, yet the lines were imbued with a Japanese softness. While influenced by the Tang style, a unique elegance drifted from it.
As he continued to write, the air in the hall became soft, yet wrapped in a tension that maintained dignity.

VII. The Shadow of Wang Xizhi
Beside the desk lay the authentic 'Twenty Volumes of Wang Xizhi's Calligraphy,' brought out from the Shōsō-in. Emperor Saga glanced at it, moving his brush while superimposing his own lines over it.
Seeing this, Hayanari muttered to himself.
'Even without crossing to Tang, this person's training is deep...'
Kūkai also noticed the stillness drifting from his brush and nodded slightly.

VIII. From Brush Competition to Communion of Hearts
When the three put down their brushes, a brief silence visited the hall. Eventually, people approached the paper and whispered their assessments.
'Lord Hayanari's brush is like a sword.'
'Lord Kūkai's brush is the resonance of a sutra.'
'And the Emperor's brush is like a flower.'
No one spoke of superiority or inferiority. A friendship that transcended competition drifted between the three, along with the scent of ink.

IX. The Aftermath
On this day, the competition was met with voices praising Emperor Saga's poetry and calligraphy, but it became a long-standing topic of conversation at court, and the three were called the 'Three Brushes' and passed down to posterity. For those involved, the true value was clear. Kūkai was overwhelmingly superior. It was not just his calligraphy; the exquisiteness of his poetry and prose was something the other two could never reach.

And, despite all the practice and preparation Emperor Saga had done, Tachibana no Hayanari's calligraphy was more magnificent. The shadow of Liu Zongyuan was clearly visible in Hayanari's calligraphy. In contrast, while Emperor Saga's calligraphy was wonderful, it did not go beyond the realm of a skilled calligrapher who had learned from Wang Xizhi, the result of his training.

Therefore, after the competition, Emperor Saga intended to return the authentic works of Wang Xizhi to the Shōsō-in, but he felt he needed to keep them at hand to train further. This thought led to the authentic works of Wang Xizhi leaving the Shōsō-in in later years as discarded items, and their whereabouts became unknown. All that remained were copies, records, and anecdotes that evoke scenes like today's.

X. Historical Fact or Fiction?
There is no historical evidence that the three competed in the same place, and it is highly likely to be a later legend or embellishment. However, the fact that they lived in the same era and stimulated each other's brushes is certain, and the term 'Three Brushes' became established in the mid-Heian period.
Also, the possibility that Wang Xizhi's authentic works were taken out of the Shōsō-in is high, and the fact that Emperor Saga made copies is inferred from the existence of Empress Kōmyō's copies.

Material Diagram: Hall Layout of the 'Calligraphy Gathering' in the Kōnin Era (Assumed Diagram)

Copy and Edit [South Garden/Lotus Pond]
　　　　　　｜(Shoji Door)｜
　 ┌─────　　　　──────┐
　 │　　　Viewing Seats (Nobles/Court Ladies)　　 │
　 │　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　│
　 │　　　　　　　●Tachibana no Hayanari's Desk　　│
　 │　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　│
　 │　　　　　　　●Emperor Saga's Desk　 │
　 │　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　│
　 │　　　　　　　●Kūkai's Desk 　　　│
　 │　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　│
　 │(Scribes behind)　　　　　　　│
　 └─────　　　　──────┘
[North Standing Curtains and Inner Room]
*The desk layout assumes the Emperor is in the center, with Hayanari and Kūkai seated to the left and right. The viewing seats are set up facing the south garden, and the morning light illuminates the desks.

Material Column: Regarding the Brushes, Paper, and Ink Used

① Brushes
Long-tipped brush (Chōhōhitsu):
　　The bristles are long, making it suitable for semi-cursive and cursive scripts. It is thought that Hayanari used a long-tipped brush to produce the sharp, Tang-style lines.
Medium-tipped brush (Chūhōhitsu):
　　The bristle length is medium, suitable for regular script. It is highly likely that Emperor Saga used this to demonstrate the beauty of regular script.
Short-tipped brush (Tanhōhitsu):
　　The bristles are short and firm, producing powerful initial strokes. It is speculated that Kūkai used something close to the brushes used for copying sutras.

(2) Paper
Hakumashi (White Hemp Paper):
A high-quality paper made from refined hemp fibers. It is smooth yet holds ink well, and was highly prized in the ancient imperial court. Actual specimens remain in the Shosoin repository.
Karakami (Tang Paper):
Decorative paper introduced from the Tang Dynasty. It is believed that plain white hemp paper was used in the competition.

(3) Ink
Shoenboku (Pine Soot Ink): Made from pine soot, it can express deep blacks and soft gradations.
In the era of Emperor Saga, ink was painstakingly ground from solid blocks on an inkstone, and fragrances were sometimes added. There is a possibility that high-grade agarwood ink was mixed in for the competition.